Awards are currently offered at three levels to members of clubs affiliated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB) through their federations. They are held for life without the need to pay an annual fee, and holders are entitled to use the designated letters after their names. The awards are:

• Credit of The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (CPAGB) - a blue badge and a certificate;
  • The relevant federation must certify on an application form that an applicant has supported qualifying photographic events for a minimum of two years within the preceding ten years. A retrospective support period of 10 years may also be considered.
  • The standard required is that of good club photography.
  • The entry fee is £50.00.
  • Ten slides or ten prints are required, and a total score of 200 or more will gain the award.
  • For audio visual, one or more sequences with a total running time of ten to fifteen minutes are required. For joint submissions, two or more sequences with a total running time 20 to 30 minutes are required. A total score of ten or more will gain the award.
• Distinction of The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (DPAGB) - a red badge and a certificate; and
  • The relevant federation must certify on an application form that an applicant has supported qualifying photographic events for a minimum of three years within the preceding ten years. A retrospective support period of 10 years may also be considered. Subject to qualification, applications can be made for the DPAGB award without first gaining CPAGB.
  • The standard required is that of open exhibition photography.
  • The entry fee is £60.00.
  • Fifteen slides or fifteen prints are required, and a total score of 300 or more will gain the award.
  • For audio visual, two or more sequences with a total running time of 15 to 20 minutes are required. For joint submissions, four or more sequences with a total running time 30 to 40 minutes are required. A total score of ten or more will gain the award.
• Master of The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (MPAGB) - a gold badge and a certificate.
  • Applicants for MPAGB must have held the DPAGB award for 11 months on the date of the adjudication.
  • The relevant federation must certify on an application form that an applicant has supported qualifying photographic events for a minimum of five years within the preceding ten years. A retrospective support period of 10 years may also be considered.
  • The highest standard of amateur photography is required.
  • The entry fee is £65.00.
  • 20 slides or 20 prints are required and a total score of 450 or more will gain the award.
  • For audio visual, three or more sequences with a total running time of 20 to 30 minutes are required. For joint submissions, six or more sequences with a total running time 40 to 50 minutes are required. An unanimous decision by the adjudicators with a total score of 12 or more will gain the award.

Print and slide adjudications are normally held in April and November. The closing dates for applications are normally 28 February and 30 September respectively, but his may be varied according to demand. The maximum number of entrants for any one day is 30, and the minimum for each section is normally 5. The maximum number of prints and slides adjudicated on any one day is normally 650.

One print or slide that scored in the passing range is retained from the submission of each successful applicant. These are used prior to future adjudications at the appropriate level, to show the standard of successful entries. Prints are retained for two adjudications and returned after one year upon request. Slides are copied by the PAGB and the original is returned as soon as possible.

Adjudication is carried out by six people selected from the PAGB's list of judges. Each print and slide is scored electronically by each adjudicator, in the range two to five, but only the total score for each photograph is announced. Adjudications are open to spectators. Entrants receive one free ticket, and further tickets may be purchased from the organizing federation.

Pictures are not presented as panels, and are mixed with the work of other photographers before being judged as individual images. Prints may be mounted or unmounted, but not framed. The maximum size, including mount, is 50 x 40 cm. Mounts should be lightweight and of a type that will not damage other prints when stacked. Velcro and other similar material must not be attached to either side of mounts. A title may appear on the front of a print but the applicant's name must not be displayed. Slide mounts should normally be 5 x 5 cm. Super slides are acceptable. Larger formats suitable for projection are accepted if there is sufficient demand. Mixed print and slide entries are not permitted.

Adjudication of audio visual submissions is held biennially in March with a closing date for applications of 31 January, although this may be varied according to demand. The minimum number of entrants for any one day is ten. The maximum number is dependent on the length of the submitted sequences. Adjudication is carried out by three people selected from the PAGB's list of AV judges. The sequences submitted by each applicant are presented consecutively and scored collectively by each adjudicator in the range two to five. Only the total score is announced. Applicants' names must not appear anywhere in their presentations. Joint audio visual applications are permitted. Both applicants should normally have contributed equally to all aspects of the submission. However, since this is seldom the case, the partners must decide whether the imbalance is sufficient to describe one partner as the assistant of the other.

Applications are considered joint where:

• one partner does more work than the other - the limiting situation would be a ratio of two-thirds to one-third, but an adjudication panel would nevertheless view such a large imbalance with disfavour. An application cannot be considered to be joint where one partner is clearly dominant.
• the roles of the two partners are clearly defined - no general rules can be laid down but examples include:
• a joint concept where one partner took all the photographs, the other wrote the script, and both were involved in the sound recording and presentation.
• a concept originated by one partner, where both took the photographs, one partner did the recording and the other the script, and both worked on the presentation.

Where one partner is involved only in one component of an entry, and their contribution is classed as assistance or collaboration, a submission cannot be regarded as joint. The adjudication process examines details of such matters. Applicants are reminded that it is generally more difficult to gain an award jointly than individually. Joint applicants both pay full entry fees.

Two guidance leaflets are available. The first covers print, slide and AV applications, and the second provides guidance on the rules and adjudication process. Both are available from the Awards Secretary, and are supplied to each applicant.

Entries for all sections may be sent in advance or can be delivered and collected on the day of adjudication. All reasonable care will be taken with entries, but no liability is accepted for loss or damage. Entrants who fail to gain an award may make further applications in the same medium and at the same level for a further fee.

An appointed non-voting chairman of adjudicators briefs the voting adjudicators beforehand and observes the process throughout to ensure a degree of consistency. The chairman may review marginal decisions on the day and, if appropriate, re-mark individual pictures in a manner which may bring about a changed result. Unsuccessful applicants may also request re-examinations of their submissions. Such requests will be considered in the light of marks awarded on all adjudication days. Where inconsistency with standards is found, a panel is appointed to reassess the relevant work. Applicants are expected to bear the postal costs involved.

Check the PAGB website at www.pagb-photography-uk.co.uk for the latest information and further details.